EP3063463B1 - Lighting device for a motor vehicle headlight - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a lighting device for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the lighting device comprises at least one optical body and at least one mounting device for the at least one optical body, wherein the at least one optical body has a number of adjacent optical attachments, each optical attachment is formed of a light-conducting material and each attachment optics a light coupling-in surface and a light coupling-out surface, wherein the at least one mounting device has at least one receptacle for each attachment optics, and where receptacles are delimited by boundary walls, the boundary walls having boundary edges on the light exit side, which boundary edges in a light distribution generated by the at least one optical body as light-dark -Edge edges are formed between the partial light distributions generated by the individual attachment optics, and wherein the at least one Optikk Body in the light exit direction, a projection device, preferably a projection lens is connected downstream.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a light module for a motor vehicle headlight, with at least one such lighting device.

Moreover, the invention also relates to a motor vehicle headlight with one or more such light modules.

Input optical bodies are used in light modules for motor vehicle headlights for generating light distributions, for example for producing segmented light distributions, i. of light distributions made up of individual light segments. The attachment optics are usually made of plastic, silicone, glass, etc. In order to meet the lighting requirements, i. In particular, to meet the statutory requirements and the specifications of the car manufacturer and on the other hand, the mechanical stresses as long as possible, preferably to withstand the life of the vehicle, it is necessary that the optical body are fixed accurately and in this desired position stable.

The publication WO 2013/020155 A1 discloses a known LED light source module for a vehicle headlamp with a mounting device and a positioning element with boundary walls.

To delimit the individual light segments, it is necessary that they are relatively sharp, in particular laterally, limited. For this purpose, the individual attachment optics of the optic body are bounded at least laterally by boundary walls, wherein these boundary walls are formed from an opaque material.

The light output surfaces of the attachment optics and the light exit side boundary edges of the boundary walls lie in a common area, which surface may be flat, but also curved. The focal point of the optical system downstream projection lens, which images the light distribution in an area in front of the vehicle, lies in this common plane, so that the boundary edges of the boundary walls are imaged as sharply as necessary in the light image and the light segments are thus correspondingly sharply defined.

However, it has been found that dust deposits often form on the light exit surfaces of the attachment optics, which are visible in the light distribution or in the individual light segments as dark spots and undesirably disturb the homogeneity of the light distribution or the light segments.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate this problem.

This object is achieved with a lighting device according to claim 1.

The illumination device according to claim 1 has attachment optics, wherein the attachment optics are arranged and / or formed such that the light output surfaces of the attachment optics project in the light exit direction beyond the boundary edges of the boundary walls.

Due to the projecting arrangement of the light outcoupling surfaces with respect to the boundary edges, the boundary edges, which are still in a plane containing the focal point of the downstream projection lens, still sharply imaged while the light outcoupling surfaces are displayed defocused and mapped accordingly. For the light distribution within the individual light segments, this blurred image is irrelevant, since it is here anyway on a homogeneous light distribution, while the limitation of the light segments is still shown in focus. Due to the defocusing of the light outcoupling surfaces, however, too Any dust deposits are shown defocused and are no longer recognizable and no longer disturb the homogeneity of the light distribution.

As already mentioned above, the boundary edges lie in a common area, wherein this area is preferably continuous, in particular at least C0-continuous.

Typically, it is provided that the common surface of the boundary edges is flat and is preferably arranged approximately normal to the light exit direction.

The light outcoupling surfaces may be formed curved and / or arranged along a curved curve, for example, to follow a field curvature of the lens. Preferably, however, it is provided that the light output surfaces of the attachment optics are planar. According to the invention, the light outcoupling surfaces of the attachment optics lie in a common plane. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the common plane of the light output surfaces has a constant distance from the common plane of the boundary edges.

The light output surfaces thus have everywhere the same normal distance to the plane through the boundary edges of the boundary walls, thus extending in parallel. According to the invention, the common surface or plane of the boundary edges lie in a focal point of the projection lens or contains it. In this way, the boundary edges are sharply displayed in the photograph. It is expedient, if the attachment optics are directly, i. abut without spacing on the boundary walls of their at least one receptacle in order to obtain an optimal optical representation of the light segments.

Perimeter walls are provided at least between the juxtaposed recordings.

However, it is particularly preferred if the two outer receptacles are also delimited on their outer side by a respective boundary wall.

In a specific embodiment of the invention it is provided that juxtaposed receptacles are each separated from a common divider which forms the boundary walls for the adjacent receptacles.

For fixing the at least one optic body in the desired position to light sources, which light feeds the attachment optics, the support device for the optic body is provided with a support for the one or more light sources which are provided for the irradiation of light in the optics of the optics body, is connectable.

In a concrete, practice-relevant embodiment of the invention, the position of the boundary edges is fixed to the at least one light source, and the optical body is extended in the light exit direction with respect to an optical body whose light exit surfaces lie in a common plane or surface with the boundary edges.

As a result, the effects of the invention can be achieved only by modifying the optical body even with existing systems carrier - mounting device.

In a specific embodiment it is provided that the holding device comprises a base body, which is connectable to the carrier for the one or more light sources for feeding light into the optical body.

The receptacles for the attachment optics are then preferably formed in the base body.

The optic body is held in the base body by means of a holding body, which presses the optic body in the suitably designed base body and holds stable after connection of the holding body with the base body in the desired position.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the attachment optics are mechanically connected to one another in the region of the light outcoupling surfaces with at least one connecting web extending transversely to the attachment optics, wherein the at least one a connecting web is optically ineffective, at least in regions, and wherein the main body further has at least one abutment region on which the optical body can be brought into abutment with the at least one receptacle with a rear surface of the at least one connecting web when inserting the auxiliary optics;

In order to produce a segmented light distribution, it is advantageous if the light output surfaces of adjacent auxiliary optics have a distance a> 0 from one another.

For manufacturing reasons, it may further be advantageous if the optical body consists of at least two separate optical components, each optical component comprises at least one light guide.

It is particularly expedient if the optical element consists of exactly two optical components, wherein it is preferred if at least one, preferably all optical components comprise two or more optical waveguide.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische, schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Beleuchtungsvorrichtung in Form eines Lichtmoduls in einer perspektivischen Ansicht von schräg Vorne,
• Fig. 2 Lichtquellen-Träger, Halterungsvorrichtung und Optikkörper des Lichtmoduls aus Figur 1 in einer Explosionsdarstellung,
• Fig. 3 einen Ausschnitt aus dem Grundkörper der Halterungsvorrichtung aus Figur 2 in einer perspektivischen Ansicht von Vorne im Bereich der Aufnahmen für die Vorsatzoptiken des Optikkörpers,
• Fig. 4 das Lichtmodul aus Figur 1 in einer Ansicht von oben,
• Fig. 5 das Lichtmodul aus Figur 1 in einem Vertikalschnitt in oder parallel zur optischen Achse des Lichtmoduls, und
• Fig. 6 einen Schnitt entsprechend Figur 5 für ein aus dem Stand der Technik bekanntes Lichtmodul.

In the following the invention is discussed in more detail with reference to the drawing. In this shows

• Fig. 1 a perspective, schematic representation of a lighting device according to the invention in the form of a light module in a perspective view obliquely from the front,
• Fig. 2 Light source carrier, mounting device and optical body of the light module FIG. 1 in an exploded view,
• Fig. 3 a section of the main body of the mounting device FIG. 2 in a perspective view from the front in the area of the receptacles for the intent optics of the optic body,
• Fig. 4 the light module off FIG. 1 in a view from above,
• Fig. 5 the light module off FIG. 1 in a vertical section in or parallel to the optical axis of the light module, and
• Fig. 6 a cut accordingly FIG. 5 for a known from the prior art light module.

FIG. 1 shows an illumination device 500 according to the invention in the form of a light module. The light module comprises a carrier 200 for a plurality of light sources, for example LED light sources. Furthermore, the light module 500 comprises an optical body 1, which is held on the carrier 200 by a holding device 100. Finally, a projection lens 501 with a focal point F1 is shown. The light entering the optical body from the light sources is projected from the projection lens into an area in front of the vehicle into which the illustrated light module is installed.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary exploded view of a mounting device 100 for the optical body 1. The optical body 1 comprises a number of side by side arranged attachment optics 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, each intent optics 11 - 15 is formed of a photoconductive material and each attachment optics 11th - 15 has a light input surface 11a - 15a and a light output surface 11b - 15b.

The light outcoupling surfaces 11b-15b of adjacent attachment optics 11 -15 have a distance a> 0 to each other, as a rule, as shown, neighboring attachment optics spaced over their entire extent and not only in the area of the light outcoupling to a crosstalk of light to prevent an attachment optics in an adjacent attachment optics.

The attachment optics 11-15 are mechanically connected to one another with two connecting webs 21, 22 extending transversely to the attachment optics 11-15 in the area of the light output surfaces 11b-15b. These connecting webs 21, 22 are usually at least partially optically ineffective. In this case, the connecting webs 21, 22 are located in an installed position of the optical body (i.e., of the light module or headlight containing the optical body under consideration) in an upper and in a lower region of the optical element 1.

The optical body or the optical element 1 can be made of one piece. For manufacturing reasons, it may be particularly advantageous if the optical body 1 as shown consists of two separate optical components 1a, 1b, each Optics component 1a, 1b two or more attachment optics 11, 13, 15; 12, 14 (in the specific example, two and three attachment optics).

It should be noted at this point, however, that the invention is not limited to an optical body as shown in the figure, although the use of such an optical body is preferred. However, the invention also extends, for example, to a one-piece optical body, as well as to optical bodies in which the optical attachments are not mechanically connected to one another by means of one or more transverse webs.

In the example shown, the holding device 100 has a main body 101 and a holding body 102, which can be applied to the main body 101 and fastened to the base body 101 after introduction of the optical body 1 into the main body 101 in the direction of insertion of the optical body 1 (ie substantially counter to the light exit direction) is. Furthermore, a fastening device 101a, 102a is provided, by means of which the holding body 102 can be fixed to the base body 101.

In the example shown, the fastening device comprises latching elements 102a and corresponding latching recesses 101a, wherein the latching elements 102a are arranged on the holding body 102 and the corresponding latching recesses 101a on the main body 101. In this way, body and holder body can be stably connected to each other, so that the attachment optics is held stable in the desired position.

As FIG. 2 can be seen, it has the holding body 102 via an opening 102 ', so that light from the light outcoupling surfaces 11b - 15b of the attachment optics 11 - 15 can escape unhindered.

The holding body 102 has clamping elements 102b which, in the fastened state of the holding body 102 on the base body 101, come to rest against the connecting webs 21, 22 on their front surfaces and press the optical body 1 with its transverse webs 21, 22 against stops 121, 122 in the main body 101 ,

Furthermore, it is provided that the holding body 102 has clamping elements 102c, which in the attached state of the holding body 102 on the base body 101 at one or more Lichtauskoppelflächen or preferably, as shown, in a region of the light outcoupling surfaces 11b - 15b of the attachment optics 11 - 15 come to rest.

The clamping elements 102b, 102c press the optical body 1 against the abutment regions 121, 122 of the main body 101, for which purpose the clamping elements 102b, 102c are preferably elastic, in particular spring-elastic.

Against lateral displacement, i. to the left / right or up / down the optic body 1 can already be secured in the manner described above, or the main body 101 is formed accordingly, so that such displacement is prevented. For example, such a displacement can be prevented by the receptacles described below and / or by the stops 121, 122 on all sides delimiting walls.

As FIGS. 2 and 3 can be seen, the holder device 100, namely the base 101, for each intent optics 11 - 15 at least one receptacle 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 on. These receptacles 111-115 are delimited by boundary walls 111 ', 112', 113 ', 114', 115 ', the boundary walls 111', 112 ', 113', 114 ', 115' having light exit edges 111a ', 112a', 113a ', 114a', 115a '.

Adjacent exposures 111, 112; 112, 113; 113, 114; 114, 115 are separated in the concrete example in each case by a common divider 212, 223, 234, 245, which forms the boundary walls 111 ', 112', 113 ', 114', 115 'for the adjacent recordings 111-115 ,

The boundary walls are formed of a light-impermeable material (usually, the entire body of a single, light-impermeable material, often in one piece, formed), so that the boundary edges 111a ', 112a', 113a ', 114a', 115a 'in a means of Optics body 1 generated light distribution are shown as vertically extending light-dark edges between the partial light distributions generated by the individual attachment optics 11 - 15.

The attachment optics 11-15 preferably lie directly, ie without spacing, against the boundary walls 111 ', 112', 113 ', 114', 115 'of their receptacles 111-115 in order to obtain an optimum optical representation of the light segments.

Boundary walls 111 ', 112', 113 ', 114', 115 'and thus boundary edges 111'a, 112'a, 113'a, 114'a, 115'a are provided at least between the juxtaposed receptacles, is preferred However, if the two outer receptacles 111, 115 are also bounded on their outer side by a respective boundary wall 111 ', 115'.

As FIG. 2 can be seen, in the example shown, the light outcoupling surfaces 11b - 15b of the attachment optics 11 - 15 are flat and lie in a common plane E2 (see FIGS. 4, 5 ).

The boundary edges 111a ', 112a', 113a ', 114a', 115a 'also lie in a common plane E1.

In an optical body 1 'according to the prior art, as in FIG. 6 is shown, these two planes E1, E2 coincide, and in this common plane is also the focal point F1 of the projection lens F1. Strictly speaking, it can not exactly be a focal point but a focal line, in the latter case, this focal line, the plane E1, E2 touches.

According to the invention, it is now provided that the attachment optics 11-15 are arranged and / or formed such that the light output surfaces 11b-15b of the attachment optics 11-15 in the light exit direction via the boundary edges 111a ', 112a', 113a ', 114a', 115a 'of Boundary walls 111 ', 112', 113 ', 114', 115 'survive, as shown in the FIGS. 4 and 5 easy to recognize. The plane E2 in which the light outcoupling surfaces are located is thus closer to the projection lens 501 than the plane E1 of the boundary edges.

However, the focal point F1 (or the focal line) of the projection lens 501 is still in the plane E1 of the boundary edges, so that these boundary edges are sharply imaged in the light image and thus the light segments are sharply defined.

Due to the projecting arrangement of the light outcoupling surfaces with respect to the boundary edges, the boundary edges, which are still in a plane containing the focal point of the downstream projection lens, still sharply imaged while the light outcoupling surfaces are displayed defocused and mapped accordingly. For the light distribution within the individual light segments This blurred image is irrelevant, since it comes here anyway to a homogeneous light distribution, while the boundary of the light segments is still sharply mapped. Due to the defocusing of the light outcoupling surfaces, however, any dust deposits are shown in a defocused state and are no longer recognizable and no longer disturb the homogeneity of the light distribution.

The two planes E1, E2 are preferably parallel to each other as shown.

Claims (15)

1. A lighting device (500) for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the lighting device comprises at least one optical body (1) and at least one mounting device (100) for the at least one optical body (1),
   wherein the at least one optical body (1) has a number of adjacently arranged ancillary optics (11, 12, 13, 14, 15), wherein each ancillary optics (11 - 15) is formed from a light-guiding material and each ancillary optics (11-15) has a light-coupling face (11a-15a) and a light-decoupling face (11b-15b),
   wherein the at least one mounting device (100) has at least one receptacle (111, 112, 113, 114, 115) for each ancillary optics (11-15), and wherein receptacles (111-115) are delimited by delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115'), wherein the delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115') have boundary edges (111a', 112a', 113a', 114a', 115a') on the light exit side,
   wherein the delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115') are formed from a light-impermeable material, and wherein
   a projection lens (501) is arranged downstream of the at least one optical body (1) in the light exit direction, and wherein
   the light exit-side boundary edges (111a', 112a', 113a', 114a', 115a') of the delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115') lie in a common plane (E1) and a focal point (F1) of the projection lens (501) lies in this common plane (E1), such that
   the boundary edges (111a', 112a', 113a', 114a', 115a') are imaged, in a light distribution produced by means of the at least one optical body (1), as light-dark edges between the partial light distributions produced by the individual ancillary optics (11-15), and wherein
   characterised in that
   the ancillary optics (11-15) are arranged and/or configured in such a way that the light-decoupling faces (11b-15b) of the ancillary optics (11-15) protrude in the light exit direction beyond the boundary edges (111a', 112a', 113a', 114a', 115a') of the delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115').
2. The lighting device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the common plane (E1) of the boundary edges (111a', 112a', 113a', 114a', 115a') is flat and is preferably arranged approximately normal to the light exit direction.
3. The lighting device according to either one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the light-decoupling faces (11b-15b) of the ancillary optics (11-15) are flat.
4. The lighting device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the light-decoupling faces (11b-15b) of the ancillary optics (11-15) lie in a common plane (E2), wherein preferably the common plane of the light-decoupling faces (11b-15b) is arranged at a constant distance from the common plane of the boundary edges (111a', 112a', 113a', 114a', 115a').
5. The lighting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the ancillary optics (11-15) bear directly, i.e. with no distance, against the delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115') of their at least one receptacle (111-115).
6. The lighting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115') are provided at least between the adjacently arranged receptacles, wherein preferably the two outer receptacles (111, 115) are also each delimited on their outer side by delimiting walls (111', 115'), wherein preferably adjacently arranged receptacles (111, 112; 112, 113; 113, 114; 114, 115) are each separated by a common separation web (212, 223, 234, 245), which webs form the delimiting walls (111', 112', 113', 114', 115') for the adjacent receptacles (111-115).
7. The lighting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the mounting device (100) can be connected to a support (200) for one or more light sources (2), which are provided to radiate light into the ancillary optics (11-15) of the optical body (1).
8. The lighting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the mounting device (100) comprises a main body (101), which can be connected to the support (200) for the one or more light sources (2) for feeding light into the optical body (1).
9. The lighting device according to Claim 8, characterised in that the receptacles (111, 112,113,114,115) for the ancillary optics (11-15) are formed in the main body (101).
10. The lighting device according to Claim 9, characterised in that the ancillary optics (11-15) are mechanically interconnected in the region of the light-decoupling faces (11b-15b) by means of at least one connecting web (21, 22) extending transversely to the ancillary optics (11-15), wherein the at least one connecting web (21, 22) is optically ineffective at least in regions, and wherein the main body (101) also has at least one stop region (121, 122), against which the optical body (1) can be brought into abutment via a rear face (21', 22') of the at least one connecting web (21, 22) when the ancillary optics (11-15) are inserted into the at least one receptacle (111, 112, 113, 114, 115).
11. The lighting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the light-decoupling faces (11b-15b) of adjacent ancillary optics (11-15) are arranged at a distance a > 0 from one another.
12. The lighting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the optical element (1) consists of at least two separate optical components (1a, 1b), wherein each optical component (1a, 1b) comprises at least one light-guiding body (11, 13, 15; 12, 14), wherein preferably the optical element (1a, 1b) consists of precisely two optical components (1a, 1b).
13. The lighting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, characterised in that at least one, preferably all optical components (1a, 1b) comprises/comprise two or more light-guiding bodies (11,13,15;12,14).
14. A light module for a motor vehicle headlight, comprising at least one lighting device (500) according to any one of Claims 1 to 13.
15. A motor vehicle headlight comprising one or more lighting devices (500) according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 or comprising one or more light modules according to Claim 14, preferably for producing a dynamic light distribution.

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